Seeking historical accuracy about Norse roster [COMPLETE]

[Kjertesvein]

The mod begins in 1180, and may continues towards the 16th. 2 turn/year. The main gameplay time line is between 1180 and 1450.

Deus lo Vult Norwegian Roster, 1180--->>>.

Settlement type:
Building: early units first, then late units(some units have limited numbers of recruites available).

City units:
Militia Barracks: Leidang(Early), Veidimenn(Early), Landevaernet(late), Armbrost Landevaernet(late), Svårdstaev Landevaernet(late)
Town hall: Gestir, Huscarls(small recruite number), Småsvenner(very small recruite number), Hirdmenn(very small recruite number)
Church: Fraelse(small recruite number)

Castle units:
Barracks: Gestir, Huscarls, Svårdstaev Landevaernet, Hirdmenn, Dismounted Ridder
Archery range: Veidimenn, Armbrost Landevaernet, mounted crossbowmen
Stable: Småsvenner, Ridder
Church: Fraelse
Mercenary buildings: Mostly (panzer) germans (mount and inf.)

Units:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

INFANTRY
Hirdmenn

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Well-equipped group of warriors, main body of king's retainers. During early period used as king's bodyguards fighting on foot, later becoming recruitable unit.
Type: Professional heavy infantry
Equipment: mail or lamellar armour, sword and a late kite shield. (Several findings of lamellar armour from this period from Gotland, Sweden)

Leidang

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Leidang was a public levy of free farmers typical for medieval Scandinavians. Leidang forms the core of a typical Norwegian army.
Type: Levy spearmen
Equipment: Padded armour, spear and a round shield, occasional Norman helmet with noseguard and mail representing richer farmers.

Gestir

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A group of low born professional warriors. Historically they acted as a kind of police force, doing errands for the king, executing his justice and collecting his taxes.
Type: Professional light infantry
Equipment: Padded or mail armour, axe and a round shield + a throwing spear.

Huskarlar

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Early bodyguards to Scandinavian Jarls originally dating back to Viking age. Ferocious professional warriors wielding two handed Danish axes. Huskarlar slowly disappeared later in Medieval times when there was no need for personal armies and Late Medieval society started to shape up.
Type: Professional heavy infantry
Equipment: mail and two handed axe.

Veidimenn

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A group of Norwegian hunters equipped with bows and multi layered armour. Ferocious in melee as they're equipped with two handed axes.
Type: Levy archers
Equipment multi layered armour, a weak bow and two handed axe.

Landevaernet

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Landevaernet was a public levy of Denmark and Norway during Union times (15th century onwards or so) and replaces Leidang. Troops consisted of free farmers typical for medieval Scandinavians. Landevaernet forms the core of a typical Norwegian army.
Type: Levy spearmen
Equipment: Mail and padded armour, spear and a round shield, helmet.

Armbrost Landevaernet

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Landevaernet was a public levy of Denmark and Norway during Union times (15th century onwards or so) and replaces Leidang. Troops consisted of free farmers typical for medieval Scandinavians. Landevaernet forms the core of a typical Norwegian army.
Type: Levy crossbowmen
Equipment: Mail and padded armour, crossbow, helmet.

Svärdstaev Landevaernet

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Landevaernet was a public levy of Denmark and Norway during Union times (15th century onwards or so) and replaces Leidang. Svärdstaev troops can be considered as experienced militia troops and are capable of forming spear wall.
Type: Levy infantry
Equipment: mail, occasional half plate armour wielding svårdstaev polearm

Fraelse

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"The Saved" were minor nobles and churchmen saved from paying taxes. Well equipped in medieval standards but less trained than Ridder they preferred fighting on foot.
Type: Professional heavy infantry
Equipment: Half plate wielding poleaxe

Dismounted Ridder

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There were only a couple of hundred dubbed knights in Norway, Denmark and Sweden each. Ridder were not experienced in mounted combat preferring to fight on foot in many occasions.
Type: Professional heavy infantry
Equipment: Half plate wielding maces

CAVALRY
Småsvenner

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Småsvenner are Scandinavian minor nobles. Due to difficult terrain and dense forests Norse were not experienced riders. They preferred local lightly build horse breeds when mounted.
Type: Professional light cavalry
Equipment: mail wielding spears, swords as secondary weapons

Ridder

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

There were only a couple of hundred dubbed knights in Norway, Denmark and Sweden each. Scandinavian terrain, many lakes and dense forest were not optimal for mounted fighting. Local smaller horse breeds were used thus ridder were seldom a match for their European counterparts.
Type: Professional heavy cavalry
Equipment: Half plate wielding polearms, maces as secondary weapons

21/10 - General update, added more units. Apologies for extremely slow updates but been busy buying flat, renovating it, buying a car, dog and switching jobs. Somebody might say I'm having midlife crisis but I do not agree!

Cheers,
'R[/QUOTE]

I know WotN team is very skilled in history, so any historical input would be super?

Thanks

EDIT:
---Here is a book on Gestir / Gjester (the secrect service, police and tax inforcers), a unit of the Hird. The only problem is - It's written in new norwegian (use google translator) :
https://bora.uib.no/bitstream/1956/1...n-flugheim.pdf [/

---Use google translate, then you can easily use Local (Knowledge) Norwegian. It's more rich on details if you know the search words (tags):
Local Norwegian:
Google translated:

---A Rune translater, fill in your letters and out comes the rune writings:
http://www.vikingrune.com/rune-conve...heri&r_alpha=5

---Here is a dictionary, English - Old Norse:
http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/language/E...-Old_Norse.pdf

---Scroll down to Chapter 11, and read how the Hird worked as a group of equal brothers incl the king and nobles. Tho that is of 13th it's alot of cimilaritys all the way to 15th century:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16770786/A...ransformations

---There is also alot to learn from the Saga's, and they are free of charge to use (on the web too).
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=291847 ...Scroll down to Icelandic: http://omacl.org/genre.html

Any more resourcesfull sites are much apprichiated

[absinthia]

i have no formal knowledge of the composition of the medieval norwegian or scandinavian armies. so i should probably keep to commenting on some of the names.
Svärdstaev Landevaernet; Landevernet translates to the "Landevern", also Svärdstav should do. Svärdstav Landevern
Småsvenner; Små translates to small, while Svenner translates to boy, aprentice or young man. Svenner

[Kjertesvein]

Thanks for that post broder. Reading now.

EDIT for those who might search the forum for info:

Here is you will have enuff from the viking age all the way to 16th century. 5 huge pdf files of very good and detailed research of Norway, Denmark and Sweden:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4T0INH5E[1]

Use google translate, then you can easily use local knowledge. It's more rich on details if you know the search words (tags):
Local Norwegian:
Google translated:

A Rune translater, fill in your letters and out comes the rune writings:
http://www.vikingrune.com/rune-conve...heri&r_alpha=5

Here is a dictionary, English - Old Norse:
http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/language/E...-Old_Norse.pdf

Scroll down to Chapter 11, and read how the Hird worked as a group of equal brothers incl the king and nobles. Tho that is of 13th it's alot of cimilaritys all the way to 15th century:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16770786/A...ransformations

There is also alot to learn from the Saga's, and they are free of charge to use (on the web too).
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=291847
Scroll down to Icelandic: http://omacl.org/genre.html

[mocker]

-Calling the Scandinavians inexperienced riders would be inaccurate. There were long traditions for horse-riding in Scandinavia, but mounted combat saw limited use due to the terrain.
-The term ridder appeared in 1277, and replaced the title skutilsvein. Perhaps use skutilsvein as an early knight unit (like mailed knights)?

[absinthia]

the old norse(dubbed vikings) adhered to an ideal of the heroic warrior and large scale formations was not their preferred style of warfare, thus cavalry charge was not within their traditional fighting style.
also the mainstay of the norse army was the leidang, part-time farmers and part-time soldiers required to supply their own gears of war, bringing a horse to a battlefield would be like bringing the family heirlooms to iraq. furthermore, the traditional norse horse, often called "døla-gampen", was a workhorse not bred for battle.
i would assume that it was contact with the continent, mainly the east, that gradually modernized(medievalized...) the norse army.
also notice that in norwegian Ridder = Knight, while Rytter = Horseman

gamp:

[Kjertesvein]

-Calling the Scandinavians inexperienced riders would be inaccurate. There were long traditions for horse-riding in Scandinavia, but mounted combat saw limited use due to the terrain.
-The term ridder appeared in 1277, and replaced the title skutilsvein. Perhaps use skutilsvein as an early knight unit (like mailed knights)?

Smart, but mailed knight use a lance, which Norse men would not use until Late era. They would rather use 1 (or 2) javelins on 1 meter + a 1,5m spear to thrust. Some used special thrusting spears with extra ordinary blades. Njal saga tells about the axe-spear, maybe a hybrid made for long range slash. Not impossible.....

also notice that in norwegian Ridder = Knight, while Rytter = Horseman

`Riddari´, according to the norse dictionary it's `Horsemen´. No idea what `ari´ means but, hey

[Harðurāðaz]

Early Units?????

Frelsi "Fraelse" (Norse War Clerics?) the nobility
Skutilsveinar (equal to Mailed Knights or Feudal Knights)
dismounted Skutilsveinar (same as above)
Riddarar "Horsemen" or Sveinar "Boys,Squires" (Scouts)
Leiðangr
Gestir (dismounted huscarls) armed with swords or axes, chainmail and kite shields, conical helmets
Veiðimenn (Norse Archers) leather and fur, strong bows

[Kjertesvein]

^ You have any specific inputs or requests regarding the current roster?
I see you mention Gestir/huscarl is the same unit. Logic but abit odd. What changes would be optimal for the roster?


What is intended, is that Leidang will be the main front row of the shield wall. 5-6 rows of shieldwall men. Gestir(with 1 - 2 javeins) and Veidimen behind the wall + 2 handed axmen (huscarls) will stand behind the wall. Gestir will be armed with javelins and a 1handed axe, so they can also be played as shield wall. So Gestir should habe shields on the size of those of Hirdmen's size and type? Huscarls and got the big axe behind the wall(protecting) against flankers.

How a fyrd was played out(in more details then mentioned), will be described in the Unit Descriptions, if anyone got specific input or even the text itself - Speak up!! I think it's importent that such a feature as Fyrd should be promoted.

Thanks!

[absinthia]

Leidang
Fyrd

leidang and fyrd is the same concept, norse used the term leidang while anglo-saxons of britain used the term fyrd. all free man was required to serv in the leidang/fyrd and supply their own gears of war.
neither of these are clearly defined units in them selves, it was more a system of conscription, a peasant army. so that within either leidang or fyrd there would be soldiers quipped with various weapons, all acording to their social status and what they could afford.
there were laws and edicts that suggested what different social classes ought to equip.

while hird initially might have ment a gang of war-buds of the local strong-man, it eventually evolved into a full fledged royal court. it gained a hierarcic build and several titles/positions. it is my impression that at least since days of norwegian unification the term hird was reserved for the kings men. they were his body guards, but also his advisors, his oficials and body of buraucrazy. i think it is safe to assume that, at least the upper strata, were major landowners them selves.

as for huskarls they might have been employed by most anyone with a certain degree of social status. i know that in anglo-saxon britain they adopted the norse huskarls system, as it was not based on land-grant as the thegnly class did. i would by that assume that norse huskarls for the most were landless warriors, living on their lords property.
this system existed in norway up until modern times, my great grand father was a "Husmann". which by that time was farmworkers living on their employers land, possibly with right to use a small part for them selves.

furthermore, Frelse being norse warrior clerics is totaly bull. the whole idea of norse warior priests as a unit is invention of CA, just forgett about it.
it was not unheard of that norse clericks acted as leaders of the leidang, but that would be in the capasity of admiral or general - høvdesmann.

[Kjertesvein]

I didn't mean fyrd, but 'Fylking' (allmost the same name...) .

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Fylking (shildwall)
English: http://translate.google.com/translat...history_state0=

Or norwegian here: http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fylking

The player should be able to adopt the fylking after reading the discriptions, as easy as he would use his feet to running. The M2TW engine does a pretty good job at it too.

----
Deam, WotN is a genious mod! I just remember how your Svia Riddarar - It evolved the weapon. Raaka might be able to do the same with Gestir. Switch Gestir's weapon from axe - to a sword with the sword upgrade! Whoo ho! Ridder's sword, to a mace!
----

while hird initially might have ment a gang of war-buds of the local strong-man, it eventually evolved into a full fledged royal court. it gained a hierarcic build and several titles/positions. it is my impression that at least since days of norwegian unification the term hird was reserved for the kings men. they were his body guards, but also his advisors, his oficials and body of buraucrazy. i think it is safe to assume that, at least the upper strata, were major landowners them selves.

-As the plan is now starting 1180, all 'generals' and 'family members' will given the title 'Hird officials' or 'Hirdleaders' instead, and mostly treat them as if it was around 1250.

-Regions like Bergen and Oslo geographical retinue will include (example) the text: Lagman of Gulating, the Law assembly of Bergen region. Do you know what the central/biggest law assembly of south norway + Viken -region is?

This is how I see the Hird... hmmmThe 1270 will be most used:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Proior to 1180:


the Hird:

1. The Hirdleaders(Norse:Hirðtiorar) the aristocrat and kings table:
   1. Jarls(counclor)
   2. "Lendmenn" . The district ruler and part of the Hird Leaders aka. The Kings Table.
   3. The Dróttseti (The Seneschal/general-in-chief)
   4. The Stalleri (The Marshall)
   5. The Merkisman (Standar-bearer)
   6. The Skenkjari (Butler/Stweard of the table servants)
      1. "Hirdmenn" the largest group identical to men-at-arms. Not part of the councill, but could sit on the Kings table.
2. Worrior branch and table servents of the Kings table:
   1. Skutilsveinr, worrior sons of Lendmenn and lesser nobles. Unlike Men at arms, Skutilsveinr could evolve to Hirdleaders.
      
      • Kjertilsveinr (untrained worriors, squirs)
3. Gestir, including
   
   • Spys and assassin agents
   • Enforcers and errenboys for the Kings table
   • Local police force (militia?)

Its unsirtent if the Houscarls were the Lendmenn's local hird, or if they were outside the hird.

1277 and Magnus Lagabøtes (Magnus the Lawmaker), the hird was devided into into 3 corporations:


Hird:

1. Herre (Lord) or Herrer (Lords):
   
   • Barons (renamed from Lendmenn)
     
     • Gestir work under the Barons and the king, not recognized as a independent department)
   • Riddere (Knights, worrior elite. Renamed from Skutilsveinr)
2. Hirdmen (Men-at-arms)
3. Småsman (untrained worriors, squirs. Renamed from Kjertilsveiner, I don't know, but I have no reason to doubt )

Haakon 5 Magnussons 1308
Herre gradualy de facto renamed from the Hird, became more destinct and european like titles and banner flags:


Herrer:

1. Ridder (1knight) Riddere (Knights, The normal equivilance of european fuedal Noble landowners)
   
   • Småsvenner ("Little squires". )
   • Gestir work under the Barons and the king, not recognized as a independent department)
2. Væpner (1 Men-at-arm) Væpnere (Men at arms)

furthermore, Frelse being norse warrior clerics is totaly bull. the whole idea of norse warior priests as a unit is invention of CA, just forgett about it.
it was not unheard of that norse clericks acted as leaders of the leidang, but that would be in the capasity of admiral or general - høvdesmann.

Sure about that? In your megaupload file, Osprey - Men-at-Arms 396 - Medieval Scandinavian Armies (1) - 1100-1300, I did read about land owners becoming clerics to wield more power of the growing christian population. Orthodox and German christans might have required more war bishops in Sweden and Denmark, then the Irish and Anglo bishops which came to more peace full Norway and Iceland.

Swedish and Danish Fraelse. Might not be Norse unit...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Mounted Units

Svenskt Kungligt Följe, Dansk Fraelse
Heavy Chevaliers – Initiative 6 (Audacious)
2 Bases – 66 Pts if Initiative 6, 77 Pts if Initiative 7
3 Bases – 87 Pts if Initiative 6, 103 Pts if Initiative 7

A Dansk Fraelse unit personally commanded by the C-in-C may be upgraded to Initiative 7.

Comments:
The Svenskt Kungligt Följe ('Swedish Royal Retinue') can only be used if personally commanded by the King, his deputy or the head of a ruling Council of Nobles. It consisted of the great man's personal retainers and also included numerous foreign knights, usually Germans, and mercenaries.
They are assumed to possess the best equipment and horses, often imported.
Please note that Sweden often did not actually have a King, and many medieval Swedish armies were fighting against the current King anyway.

Dansk Fraelse (Danish Nobles) depict Danish nobles and their retinues and/or German mercenary knights. They were much better equipped and mounted than most of their Swedish counterparts.

Svenskt Frälse
Medium Chevaliers – Initiative 6
2 Bases – 60 Pts
3 Bases – 72 Pts

The Svenskt Frälse can be deployed on foot as Heavy Shock in positional battles.

Comments:
Frälse (literally ‘the saved’) was the contemporary Swedish term for nobles and churchmen ‘saved’ from paying taxes. There were no more than a few hundred actual dubbed knights ('Riddare') in the entire country. The Frälse units include Riddare, militant Bishops (of which there were quite a few), and un-knighted nobles along with their retinues and mercenaries. The Frälse were not as well mounted and equipped as their Danish and German adversaries and could not really stand up to them in mounted combat. It was common for Frälse to dismount, especially when defending or attacking fixed positions.
http://shatteredlances.pbworks.com/B...20Scandinavian

If it's a total joke that they used dissmounted Fraelse in Norway, then maybe a small number should be available in Viken(Oslo), and more of these units to Denmark.

@Svensk Viking
How do you say 'Northern Veiðimenn', Since these parts of the coutry were packed with these hardy worriors. Sami? Can't be....



I'm also woundring what I can call the city/castle of Oslo or very close to it? And if there were any forts in that area


Any way, great thanks for much patience!

[Horsa]

Sami?

The Sami were not warriors.

[absinthia]

Sure about that? In your megaupload file, Osprey - Men-at-Arms 396 - Medieval Scandinavian Armies (1) - 1100-1300, I did read about land owners becoming clerics to wield more power of the growing christian population. Orthodox and German christans might have required more war bishops in Sweden and Denmark, then the Irish and Anglo bishops which came to more peace full Norway and Iceland.

Swedish and Danish Fraelse. Might not be Norse unit...

could the term Fraelse referre to a piece of land rather than the land holder? somewhat similar to the anglo-saxon Bookland:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

It had been intended as a permanent grant of land for landowners building religious establishments, with the stipulation that the holder must perform road and bridge upkeep and supply men for the fyrd. Though there is evidence that this was not the first charter to be written in Anglo-Saxon England, the earliest surviving genuine charter, in favour of the abbot and monastery at Reculver, in Kent, was granted by King Hlothere of Kent in May 679.[3] The desirability of possessing unencumbered "bookland" in preference to "folkland" must have been immediately apparent to the laity, as Bede complained in a letter to Archbishop Ecgbert of York in 731, regarding the vast tracts of land acquired by "pretended monks" whose licentious interests were anything but Christian.

also if you read the Osprey book you will notice this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

In the Early and High Middle Ages of Scandinavia, bishops came from the leading families, and many were not what modern observers would regard as typical "men of the cloth". On several occasions Scandinavian bishops ritually placed their robes and mitre upon the altar of their cathedral and put on their armour to fight at the head of an army(the last time this happened was in 15th century Sweden). This helps explain why bishops built such a significant proportion of scandinavia`s castles. They also maintained armed retinues rivalling those of the kings them selves, both in size and the quality of their military equipment.

considering the number of bishoprics in the whole of scandinavia, a whole troop of armoured bishops is hardly likely. using them as officers or generals might be more in line with accuracy.

edit:
could Eidsivating be the law thing for the Viken area?
Oslo was Oslo until the danes re-named it Christiania.
Akershus festning was started built in the 1290s. unsure if there were any fortifications there earlier, Oslo being a late settlement to gain importance i doubt so.

[Kjertesvein]

could the term Fraelse referre to a piece of land rather than the land holder? Somewhat similar to the anglo-saxon Bookland:

Sounds logical to some degree...To be honest, I have no idea.

considering the number of bishoprics in the whole of scandinavia, a whole troop of armoured bishops is hardly likely. using them as officers or generals might be more in line with accuracy.

DLV have maxed it's roster, so we try to keep things to a minimum and replace. Using a cap for 1 officers is most likly out of the questions. Maybe a very tiny elite unit recruitable from the castle chappel - Then the Fraelse-officer is also likley. We can also think how much a player will expand once 1300s. Possibly Sweden and Greenland, which will provide land where Bishops ruled...


@"edit:"

could Eidsivating be the law thing for the Viken area?
Oslo was Oslo until the danes re-named it Christiania.

Yeah, and the 4 of 6 largest citys in the country was in Viken(the 2 biggest was Nidaros and Bergen), at the time:

1. Tønsberg, was a 2 wall fortress of Tunsberghus, it will be a stone fort in the Norse mod.
2. Bohuslän, there was importent defencive fort, but it got pillaged from 1150, and desecrated til the late 13th century.
3. I will instead add a Stone fort in Borg (sarpsborg), since it was a Kongsgård (Kings House) (later: Herregård, Eng: Lord's House). Many Kings lived there, so it's an ideal to concentrate the most powerful Ting around Viken, Borgartinget.
   
   • There for the Retinue for Østafjells will be: The Lawmaker of Borgarting, the Law assembly of Viken.
4. I will make Oslo a town, which is historically correct, which will enable more militia (leidang), then proffessional worriors in the begining. The player may later take the Castle of Gotland or the danish Fortress in southern sweden. (Citys can not change to castle, visa versa)

As said earlier, Bergen geographical retinue: The Lawmaker of Gulating. The Law assembly of Bergen region.

Akershus festning was started built in the 1290s. unsure if there were any fortifications there earlier, Oslo being a late settlement to gain importance i doubt so.

Nope, there was a small one on the Øya, Oslo, nothing more. Sarpsborg was used instead.

[Harðurāðaz]

Ignore my other post:

Gave the units old norwegian/icelandic names
I hope they are correct

Frelsir
Húskarlar
Hirðmenn
Sverdstafs landvarnarmenn
Lásboga landvarnarmenn "Armburst Landsvaernet"
Landvarnarmenn (I think they should use kite shields instead of round shields, since they are late unit)
Skutilsveinar "Ridder is a dutch word" the Skutilsveinar where the Knights of Medieval Norway
Fótgangandi Skutilsveinar "Fot walking Skutilsveinar" (Could not find the old norse word for dismounted)
Sveinar "Småsvenner"
Leiðangr or Leiðangrsfolk
Gestir
Veiðimenn

[Kjertesvein]

^Looking good!

This thread is packed with good resources for future mods. Here is a book on Gestir (the secrect service, police and tax inforcers), a unit of the Hird. The only problem is - It's written in new norwegian (use google translator) :
https://bora.uib.no/bitstream/1956/1...n-flugheim.pdf

Quick facts:

---Gestir were farm owners, from the middle class.
1015-1028: 30 Gjester.
1080s: 60 Gjester.
1180s: 150 - 480 Gjester. Units of 50 men * 3 = 150 active soliders.
H.H.sson: Totoal numbers unknown. Unit of 150 men (à ship) * 2 = 300 active soliders.

---Seperated elite group from Huscarls and Hirdmenn. Their rivalry meant that they often sailed in seperate ships, diffrent tables and on several lesser occations fought as rivals.

---The Kings Gestir used a black Banner/Seal. They were lead by a leader, Gjestehøvdingen (The Cheiftan of Gestir).

---Gestir existed between early years of 10th century to 1319: about 300 years.

---Landowners, commeners, skilled 'special ops' or elite fighters with bow and sword, tax collectors for King and general legal assistance for Hirdleaders(not personal, only judicial matters), royalistic, scouts & spys, political assassins, outside guards of the Kings house, seizure or protection of land or property, saboteurs, noble couriers, status, war draft enforcers, police force, Kings 'secrect service'. (example: The Gestir ship allways floated next to the Kings ship).

Gestir also had the legal ability to accept of decline, and in any case to demand reason of their mission, if they feared for their health.

[IVIarkI2I]

Thanks for the link broder. Downloading now.

EDIT for those who might search the forum for info:

Here is you will have enuff from the viking age all the way to 16th century. 5 huge pdf files of very good and detailed research of Norway, Denmark and Sweden:
[link removed]

well ospreys are quite good source but its illegal to post this stuff uploaded on megaupload you have to buy it or send by pm if somebody needs but not post at forums, local moderations can have some probls from this illegal stuff

[Kjertesvein]

I got one more question:

Instead of regular names:

Vikingrs liste:
Captain = Lendir men/ ??
(Sea) Captain = Styrimaðr / Styrman
Faction Leader = Koungr ....
Faction Heir = Doglir ...
Assassin = Mordari of Gestir/ ??
Spy = Guest of Gestir
Hunter = Veiðimenn ( )
Diplomat = Hird Minister/Lendmann/Hirðmann / ??
General = Hird Officials/Hird Leaders
Princess = Hird Princess/ ??
Priest = Kristinn prestr/ ??
Village = ??
Fishing Village = ??
Merchant = Kaupmaðr/Kaupman/??
Port = Leidangreiða/ Fylkesreiða / Skipreiða(norse), Skipæn(danish) or Freight (English)/ ??
Small Town = ??
Large Town = ??
And... I think you have the picture.

Retinue/Title for generals of Oslo and Bergen:
-Viken
The Lawmaker of Borgarting, the Government assembly of Viken.
-Vestlandet
The Lawmaker of Gulating, the Governmetn assembly of Vestlandet.

Suggestions on what was used back in the days?

Thanks!!



AND!!! Very very importent! What should I use as Sir name?? Norse people used their fathers name, then their sex: Sverresson or Sverresdotter.

I planned on using one, but.... it's wierd having a girl, and her last name is Sverresdotter. :-/

[Harðurāðaz]

Captain = Hersir
(Sea) Captain = Styrimaðr
Faction Leader = Konungr
Faction Heir = Erfingi
Assassin = Banamaðr
Spy =
Hunter = Veiðimaðr
Diplomat = Erendamaðr "messenger"
General = Hers-höfðingi
Princess = Dróttning
Priest = Prestr
Village = Býr or Bœr
Fishing Village = Fiskibýr
Merchant = Kaupmaðr
Port = Höfn
Small Town = Lítill borg
Large Town = Stórr borg

[Kjertesvein]

It was complete some moths ago, but still, I would like to show you guys the result:

Hide your woman and gold...

raaka's NORSE roster

FEATURES

Norse Roster includes 13 unique units for Norway, including Sons of Stormenn and
Veiðimenn. The roster is mainly infantry-based groups from post- viking age to late
middle age. Gunpowder and religious units are still in the roster.

INSTALLATION

1. DLV 6.0
2. DLV 6.2
3. Run DLV 6.2 once to build sound files!

1. 
   
2. Taiji's Battle Ballance 2.6 (which includes the Norse Roster)

UNITS

Leiðangr

Leiðangr is an early form of Norse local army, consisting of common townfolk and
farmers that are levied into the army. They are equipped with a spear and shield,
helmet and an occasional aventail. Levy armies form the backbone of Norse armies as
professional troops were scarse and seldom needed thus the quality of leiðangr is
better than an average European levy. Leiðangr are capable of forming shield wall,
which was a typical form of fighting during the earlier Viking days.

Leiðangr are equipped with a spear and shield, helmet and an occasional aventail.

Veiðimenn

Veiðimenn are hunters from dense Scandinavian forests. Hardened in harsh northern
conditions and skilled in use of hunting bow they can take down light armoured
opponents from distance. They are wielding two handed axes but cannot stand their
ground against professional units in melee.

Veiðimenn are equipped with a bow and are wearing multilayered leather and fur
armour. Veiðimenn are wielding two handed axes.

Gestir

Low born prefessional warriors acting as a kind of police force, doing errands for the
king, executing his justice and collecting his taxes. Gestir are equipped with a couple
of javelins, an axe, a shield and are wearing mail. They are ferocious professional
assault unit however due to their mercenary nature they are known to switch sides.

Gestir are equipped with javelins, an axe and a shield in melee and are wearing mail.

Húskarlar

Early bodyguards to Scandinavian Jarls originally dating back to Viking age.
Ferocious professional warriors wielding two handed Danish axes. Huskarlar slowly
disappeared when there was no need for personal armies and the christian medieval
society started to shape up.

Húskarlar are equipped with a two handed axe and mail.

Hirðmenn

Well-equipped group of warriors, the main body of king's retainers. During early
period used as king's bodyguards fighting on foot, later becoming a recruitable unit.

Hirðmenn are wearing mail, later lamellar and are wielding a sword and a shield.

Landvarnarmenn

Landvarnarmenn is local army consisting of local townfolk and farmers levied into
the army. They are equipped with a spear and shield, helmet and an aventail and
wear padded armour. Levy armies form the backbone of Norse armies as professional
troops were scarse and seldom needed thus the quality of landvarnarmenn is better
than an average European levy.

Landvarnarmenn are equipped with a spear and shield and wear aventail and
padded armour.

Sverdstafs Landvarnarmenn

Sverdstafs landvarnarmenn is a levy unit consisting of men with battle experience.
Armed with a 'sverdstafs', a sword-staff, a scandinavian polearm coming in many
shapes but was essentially composed of a pole and a sword.

Sverdstafs landvarnarmenn equipped with a sword staff and wearing padded
armour with an occasional coat of plates.

Lásboga Landvarnarmenn

Lásboga landvarnarmenn are common men, townfolk and farmers levied into the
army. Wearing padded armour and equipped with a 'lásboga', a crossbow,
landvarnarmenn are usually called up in the time of distress. Norse medieval levy
armies are of better quality than their European counterparts however they cannot
match professional units under any circumstances.

Lásboga landvarnarmenn are equipped with a crossbow and a spear and are wearing
padded armour.

Sons of Stormenn

Sons of Stormenn, 'Great men', eager to prove their worth and follow the footprints of
their noble fathers. Able to afford good equipment, Stormenns Sonr wear coat of plates
armour and wield a spear axe, a precessor of halberd. These weapons came in many
forms, combining axe and spear suitable for both hacking and thrusting movement.

Stormenns Sonr wear coat of plates and wield a spear axe, precessor of halberd

Frelsir

"The Saved" were nobles and churchmen of medieval times in Scandinavia. The name
comes from the fact that were spared from paying taxes. Well equipped in medieval
standards but less trained than knights, Frelsir are capable of dishing out significant
damage even against armoured opponents with their heavy poleaxes.

Frelsir are wearing plate and equipped with heavy poleaxes.

Stormenn

Stormenn, the 'Great Men' were the cream of the Norse nobles. They are extremely well
equipped, matching European standards, and are equipped with a sword, a shield
and wear half plate. There are only a couple of hundred dubbed knights in Norway
and due to the terrain Stormenn were not experienced in mounted combat preffering
to fight on foot in many occasions.

Stormenn are wearing half plate and are wielding axes.

Svenner

Svenner, 'boys' are squires aspiring to the rank of knighthood. They are lightly
armoured, wearing mail and wielding spear and are excellent in running down
routers and skirmishers. Due to difficult terrain and dense forests Norse are not
experienced in mounted warfare. They prefer local lightly build horse breeds when
mounted.

Svenner are mounted nobles equipped with a spear, a shield and wearing mail.

Riddere

Riddere are the dubbed knights of Norway. They are extremely well equipped,
matching European standards, and are equipped with a sword, a shield and wear
half plate. Scandinavian terrain, many lakes and dense forest are not optimal for
mounted fighting. Local smaller horse breeds were used thus riddere are seldom a
match for their European counterparts.

Ridder are wearing half plate and wielding polearms. They use maces as secondary
weapons.

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http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=225499

If you are keen on borrowing some, then send a PM.

Best regards,

~Wille the Norseman

[Silesian_Noble]

I am no historian for medieval Scandinavia, but judging the style and quality of those units, I must say I'm very impressed. This is great and very original work!